C Z3Z, 



®It^ lutu^rsttg itf iltmtrsnta 



GENERAL EXTENSION DIVISION 



COMMUNITY CENTERS 

BY 
RAYMOND V. PHELAN, Ph.D. 




BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA 
GENERAL SERIES NO. 25. JANUARY 1915 



Entered at the Post-Office 

Minneapolis as second-class matter 

Minneapolis, Minn. 



/Mono^ph 



^ o~ ^ ----^ ' O/ 

\^ ^-^^ n{ business in n^T^--^ ^, 




A COMMUNITY CENTER IS THE 
HUB OF TOWN PROGRESS 

Our Nation on Community Center Wheels 
Would Mean a Better America 



Is Your Tcwn on the Map of Progress? 




Oh 



CO - 

c •:: 

H 



o 



COMMUNITY CENTERS 

By RAYMOND V. PHELAN, Ph.D. 

The Community Center is a need of our time. In the middle 
ages, authority, hierarchy, divine right, and status ruled the world. 
The eighteenth century brought forth ideas of natural rights of 
life, liberty, and property, of equality before the law, of freedom 
in all departments of life and activity. There was to be a mini- 
mum of government and of regulation. Fair play and justice de- 
manded that the arena of life be held wide open for everybody. 
Experience, however, has taught us that this job of holding open 
the gate involves in itself government regulation, and that an 
open arena without rules for the game often becomes a case of 
"a free fox in a free hen roost." 

Free opportunity in the arena of life is necessary to fair play and 
justice. There must be also regulation of the game of life. Both 
the open gate and the regulated game call for effective laws and 
alert, intelligent public opinion. To promote such laws and such 
public opinion, society must know itself. People must come to- 
gether, get acquainted with one another, sympathize with one 
another, co-operate with one another. The big answer to this 
need of popular co-operation is the Community Center. 

The Community Center is both an idea and a device. As an 
idea it means community fraternalism. As a device, it may 
enable a community to know itself, its problems and some- 
thing about their solution. A community center may help a 
community to be its best self. Physically speaking, a community 
center may be a schoolhouse, a town hall, a church, or any other 
building open to all the people for the promotion of town 
betterment and human well-being. Abstractly, it is the idea of 
town unity and co-operation, both within the town and with 
the surrounding country. 

The schoolhouse is the natu ral community center. 

A community center association may be a business as well as a 
civic and social advantage. It may join civic spirit and business 
success by promoting between merchant and customer a bond of 
unselfish friendship. This in turn may strengthen in merchants 

5 



the spirit of service to their customers. Successful community 
centers either put or keep their towns on the map of progress and 
prosperity. 

ORGANIZATION OF COMMUNITY CENTERS 

I. Specific purposes of organization: 

1. Wholesome recreation for all men, women and children 

2. Clean, worth-while amusements 

3. Training and self-expression for all, through athletics, 
music, speech-making, discussion, and dramatics 

4. Promotion of public health 

5. Securing of information on questions of human interest, 
through lectures and otherwise 

6. A better town; cleaner, more moral, more artistic, more 
economical 

7. A closer bond between towns-people, and also between 
town and country 

8. More business; more life for less money 

II. Outline of organization: 

1. A central organization to be known as The (name of town) 
Community Center Association 

A. Various clubs to promote the several aims of the com- 

munity center association: 
A Civic Welfare Club 
A Commercial Club 
A Farmers' Club 
A Literary Club 
A Drama Club 

A Teachers' and Parents' Association 
Debating Clubs 

Athletic Clubs of various kinds 
Boy Scouts 
Girl Scouts, and others 

B. Public Library, Voters' League, Information Bureau 

C. Clubs already in existence may become parts of a 

community center association 

III. Meeting Places: 

School buildings, town hall, public library, churches, or 
any suitable building that either belongs to, or can be 
secured by the public, preferably schoolhouses 
6 



IV. Method of Organizing: 

1. Have the local newspapers write up and push the idea 

of a community center 

2. Have local preachers urge it 

3. Have school superintendent and teachers talk it up in 

the schools 

4. Have local clubs and lodges take up the idea 

5. Hold a preliminary and widely advertised meeting to 

appoint a committee on constitution and on nomi- 
nation of officers 

6. Hold another public meeting with music and speeches 

and, if desired, a dinner. The University's Community 
Center promotor can be secured for such meetings. 
Have short spechees by local people. Adopt a con- 
stitution and elect officers. Select as president a 
person of commanding influence who can suc- 
cessfully conduct meetings and who is in full 
sympathy with your community movement. Your 
secretary should be one who is alert, conscien- 
tious, well-mannered, tactful, a good mixer, gener- 
ally liked, dependable, progressive, energetic, and 
willing to give a reasonable amount of time to his 
community association. In many cases the school 
superintendent may be made secretary, for Community 
Center work may be regarded as part of a school super- 
intendent's duty to his town. President and secretary 
should be persons able to give their association a 
good start, to cause it to gain in momentum, and 
to keep it going with constantly increasing success. 

V. Results of a Successful Community Center: 

1. Community understanding, sympathy, consciousness, 

and action for promotion of a better life for every 
member of your community 

2. A central consciousness, intelligence, and force 

3. An information bureau for farming and other business 

questions, political questions, and social questions 

4. A watch-tower of government by the people 

5. Closer co-operation between town and country 

6. A foundation for a more progressive, cleaner, better, less 

expensive town and country in which to work, do busi- 
ness, and to live 

7 



1 m 






j 


■ i 




M. 


■# 


t •^^^ 




■ -t 


mst 


ri^ 


1 ^ 


■S^ $t 






p 




7-V 


\ 


\' 


r<:.A 




if 



Our Community Center 

Develops our town talent 




A Meeting to Instruct Congress 

A Community Center may make your town a 

political watch-tower 



VI. Suggested Outline for a Constitution: 

PREAMBLE 

It is the purpose of this organization to promote a better 
town and country-side in which to work, do business, and 
to live 

Article I. Name: Community Center Association of (Name of 
town or community) 

Article II. Object: To secure wholesome recreation, amuse- 
ment, and development for every member of this community; 
to insure efficient, economical government in this commun- 
ity; to better educate its members to take their part intelli- 
gently and honestly in helping to solve not only the economic 
and political problems of this community, but also of the 
State of Minnesota, and of the nation. 

Article III. Members: Every person sixteen or over living in 
this community may become an active and voting member of 
this Association upon giving his or her name and address to 
the Secretary. All persons in this community are members 
and are entitled to attend the meetings of the Association 
and to avail themselves of its benefits. 

Article IV. Offtcers: Section 1. President, as many vice-presi- 
dents as may be decided upon, a secretary, treasurer, or a 
secretary and treasurer. 
Section 2. Elections for one year. 

Article V. Duties of Officers: Duties shall be the usual ones 
except that the various vice-presidents may in addition be the 
leaders of the various activities federated in the association. 

Article VI. Committees: Executive Committee to consist of 
elected officers, with the usual powers and duties; other com- 
mittees, the number and character of which will depend on 
the kinds of work undertaken from time to time by the as- 
sociation. 

Article VII. Meetings: To be determined by local conditions 
and preferences. 

Article VIII. Finances: No dues, except that active members 

may (or are expected to) pay cents a month to the 

Association. Contributions will be received. 

Article IX. Quorum: Depends upon local conditions. 

Article X. Amendment: By a two-thirds vote of members 
present at any regular meeting. 

9 



BY-LAWS 

1. Roberts' Rules of Order govern procedure in meetings of this 
Association. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS 

Business Meetings Discussional Meetings 

1. Call to order 1. Call to order 

2. Reading of minutes 2. Music 

3. Report of committees 3. Main speech or speeches 

4. Reports of officers 4. Discussion 

5. Unfinished and new business 5. Announcements 

6. Adjournment 6. Social time if desired' 

7. Adjournment 

OTHER CONSTITUTIONS 

Constitutions for the various clubs associated w ith the Com- 
munity Center association may be modeled on the above constitu- 
tion, but drafts of special constitutions if desired will be furnished 
free by the General Extension Division of the University of Minne- 
sota. The University will also freely suggest topics for discussion, 
formulate plans for reform for your community, give information 
and advice, and furnish (at the lowest possible cost) capable and 
interesting speakers, also entertainment, musical, dramatic, a nd 
popularly scientific. 



VII. Suggested Subjects for Discussion, Study, and Reform: 

LOCAL PROBLEMS 

The value of community centers 

The laws affecting our town 

Political conditions in our town 

Taxation in our town 

Our budget 

Crime and the courts in our town and county 

Morality in our town 

Poverty in our town 

Amusements and recreation 

Health and sanitation 

Housing in our town 

Water, sewerage, and garbage in our town 

The appearance of our town 

Art conditions in our town 

Labor conditions in our town 



Farming in our vicinity 

Mining in our region 

Lumbering in our neighborhood 

Our manufacturers 

What the United States census tells about our town 

Our schools and their work 

Our young people when they leave or finish school 

Business conditions in our town 

Roads about our town 

Accommodations for people from the country 

Hotel conditions in our town 

Railroad service into our town 

GENERAL PROBLEMS 

Evolution of man 

Human progress 

American democracy 

City government 

Political reforms as initiative, referendum, recall, commission 

form of government 
Systems of taxation 
The woman movement 
Labor problems as woman and child labor, industrial health, 

industrial accidents, profit sharing, prevention of strikes, 

and others 
Immigration 
Sex reform 
Social insurance 
Old age pensions 
The drama and its lessons 
Art in its various aspects 
Trade unionism 

Socialism, syndicalism, single tax 
Technical advancement 
Public health and medical discoveries 
Educational theories and reforms 
Regulation of business 
Municipal ownership 
Public utilities regulation 
Banking reform 
Rural credit 
Business organization 

11 





^^1 


s 




j|H^> 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BK^'tmSl^.jB^Jii''^-... tif^^^^^WiL -.^^ '. ^^IHH^^^HHl^i;^ 







Formerly a Railroad Sand Bank 
Six feet high, an unsightly dump, and dangerous 




It Pays to Use a Schoolhouse 
at night as well as by day 



Cost of doing business 

Cooperation 

Advertising 

Railroad service 

Our banking facilities 

Transportation problems 

Different kinds of insurance 

Living longer 

Making a United States census 

International peace 

Current topics, state, national, or world 

All of these general topics should interest a wide-awake com- 
munity which realizes that living within one's self or community 
means stagnation, and that also wishes to make its intelligent 
contribution to the solution of state, national, and world problems. 
Many of these general topics affect all persons indirectly, if not 
directly. Human waste, for example, in New York may increase 
the cost of the things that are bought or made in Minnesota. 
Good or bad conditions everywhere spread abroad their unfortu- 
nate influence. The University of Minnesota, General Extension 
Division, will suggest definite phases of these general topics and will 
supply capable and interesting lecturers, as well as assist, with sug- 
gestions and other helps, your local speakers. 

PARENTS' AND TEACHERS' ASSOCIATIONS 

I. Purpose of Organization: 

1. Sympathetic understanding between parent and teacher 

2. For the teacher intimate knowledge of the child, his 

characteristics, and his environment 

3. For the parent a knowledge of the teacher and of her dif- 

ficulties 

4. Co-operation between home and school 

5. A heartier financial support of education 

6. Better moral conditions in our town 

7. Happier and more successful parents, teachers, and chil- 

dren 

8. More community understanding, sympathy, and co- 

operation 

9. A Parents' and Teachers' Association may become a full- 

fledged Community Center Organization 
13 



II. Method of Organizing: 

1. Newspaper editorials and articles 

2. Advancement of the idea by preachers of your town 

3. Encouragement of the plan by school superintendent 

and teachers 

4. Hold organization meeting with entertainment and 

short speeches 

III. Special Topics Relating to the Welfare of the Child in School: 

1. Is our school properly and economically supported 

(sometimes more money put into a school system is 
decidedly economical) 

2. What changes would make our schools more effective 

3. The health of our children 

4. Truancy 

5. Moral conditions and the teaching of sex hygiene 

6. Athletics and entertainment for our children 

IV. Organization: 

See suggestions for Constitutions of Community Centers (p. 9) 
The University desires to be of every possible service to you. 
Address 

General Extension Division 

The University of Minnesota 

Minneapolis, Minnesota 



ACTIVITIES OF THE GENERAL EXTENSION 

DIVISION 

1. CORRESPONDENCE COURSES in collegiate, indus- 

trial and business branches. 

2. EXTENSION LECTURES, either single or in series, 

on informational or cultural subjects. 

3. LYCEUM COURSES of popular lectures, concerts, 

and entertainments. 

4. UNIVERSITY WEEKS, six-day programs of concerts, 

entertainments, readings, scientific demonstra- 
tions, debates and dramatics. 

5. NIGHT CLASSES in the Twin Cities, Duluth and 

other centers. 

6. DEBATING HELPS, through bulletins, bibliographies 

and schemes of organization. 

7. LANTERN SLIDES as loans, accompanied by explana- 

tory lecture. 

8. MUNICIPAL REFERENCE BUREAU for collecting and 

compiling information for city officers. 

9. COMMUNITY CENTER DEVELOPMENT for the 

wider use of schools and greater town success. 

10. SHORT COURSES in merchandising, etc. 

11. INFORMATION BUREAU for obtaining and furnish- 

ing information to citizens of the State. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 605 253 7 



